Traveling back in time to Liu Feng, starting with rescuing soldier Guan Yu.

Liu Feng stood in front of the map, his gaze fixed on Rangcheng and Dangyang, which were depicted on the map, and he did not look away for a long time.

"Mr. Ji Chang, I just received a letter from Zi Rong (Kou Zun's courtesy name). The main force of our army led by him and the Yimin Allied Army have turned west as originally planned. The army has been marching for a day and a night and is now stationed at Danshui, which is only two days away from Nanxiang."

Liu Feng pointed his finger at the location of Danshui, secretly praising the great appeal of the Bloodstained Manifesto and the "Taiping Yaoshu". Kou Zun had managed to gather nearly 30,000 soldiers in just a few days. Although these men were of mixed quality and had their own agendas, most of them were young and strong men who had survived Cao Cao's army's slaughter.

Given time, Liu Feng only needs to train these people into soldiers who are loyal only to him, and he will immediately be able to form a small military group that is no weaker than Guan Yu at his peak.

At that time, he will truly have the means to contend for supremacy in the world and to protect himself and his people!

Liu Feng had personally written a secret letter and ordered his trusted men from the Fengzi Camp to deliver it to Kou Zun, instructing him to take the 30,000-strong righteous militia to the three prefectures of Shangyong and settle them properly. The implications of this were naturally not for outsiders to know.

"Now that Zirong has broken through Xiahou Shang's encirclement from the west, Nanxiang County can be temporarily secured. Therefore, the most urgent matter is here!"

Liu Feng rested his hands on the edge of the table, his gaze moving north from Xiangyang, across the Han River, and landing on Rangcheng. Ma Liang stood beside him, also looking at Rangcheng on the map.

"Once Rangcheng falls," Ma Liang said softly, "there will be no more defenses north of the Han River. If Xu Huang takes Rangcheng, his next stop will be Fancheng. Although our army currently has seven thousand men, the surrendered soldiers are not yet organized, and the old troops have not been reinstated. If Xu Huang launches a counterattack now..."

"Tian Guorang is also a good general. I have fought against him before. Xu Huang may not be able to gain the upper hand," Liu Feng interrupted him.

Ma Liang turned to look at him. "Deputy General, don't forget, Tian Yu also has many surrendered soldiers under his command, and even Tian Yu himself..."

"I have always regarded Tian Yu as a national treasure, and I am confident that he will not betray me or the King of Hanzhong! Mr. Ji Chang, there is no need to worry."

He turned around, walked to the desk, and picked up a wooden box. He opened the lid, revealing a severed head preserved in lime. Cao Ren's features were still clearly discernible; the arrogant air between his brows had not dissipated even in death.

"Send this to Xu Huang's camp." Liu Feng pushed the wooden box forward, "and enclose a personal letter from me."

Ma Liang's gaze shifted from the wooden box to Liu Feng's face: "What does the letter say?"

"Three things. First, tell him that Cao Ren is dead and Xiangyang and Fancheng have fallen into our hands. Second, if Xu Huang wishes to withdraw his troops back to Wan, our army will no longer pursue him and will order him to retreat. Third—"

Liu Feng paused, a slight smirk playing on his lips.

"Third, Cao Cao and Liu Bei have been at war for a long time, so don't forget Sun Quan."

Ma Liang's gaze was solemn. He certainly understood the implication of Liu Feng's third matter: both Cao Cao and Liu Bei had suffered heavy losses in the months-long battle. Cao Cao's army had lost Yu Jin, Pang De, Tian Yu, and nearly 50,000 troops, as well as the two and a half commanderies of Nanxiang, Xiangyang, and Nanyang. Even Cao Ren, a general from the imperial clan and commander of the southern front, had perished. The losses were undeniably devastating.

However, Liu Bei's group was not much better off. All three counties of Jingzhou, which were originally under Guan Yu's control, were lost, and Guan Yu's Jingzhou army was either killed or fled.

Upon closer examination, it turns out that the Sun family of Jiangdong, who remained neutral from beginning to end, actually benefited the most.

"A tripartite balance of power, with one gaining at the expense of the other. Xu Huang couldn't be unaware of this principle, and neither could Cao Cao."

Liu Feng closed the wooden box, his expression calm, and looked up at Ma Liang.

"When Lord Guan retreated, Xu Huang did not cross the river to pursue him, precisely to make Sun Quan and Liu Bei fight each other and weaken Sun Quan. As long as Xu Huang suffered a setback at Rangcheng, Cao Cao would naturally order him to return to Wancheng to regroup the battle lines."

Ma Liang nodded. He walked to the desk, picked up a brush and laid out paper, and began to draft a letter for Liu Feng. His handwriting was beautiful, a skill honed from childhood by the gentry of Xiangyang. The letter was worded neither servile nor arrogant, offering Xu Huang a way out while also setting clear boundaries. After finishing, he handed it to Liu Feng for review. Liu Feng glanced at it, took a brush from the brush holder, and added a line at the end of the letter.

"The head of Cao Zixiao is enclosed with this letter. If General Xu remembers our past friendship, he may take it back to Wancheng for burial."

Ma Liang looked up at Liu Feng after seeing the words. Liu Feng put down his pen: "Make him owe me a favor."

Ma Liang sealed the letter and ordered it to be sent immediately towards Rangcheng. After the messenger set off, he returned to the map, his gaze moving south from Rangcheng, past Fancheng, past Xiangyang, and finally settling on the direction of Jiangling.

"Deputy General," Ma Liang said in a heavy voice, "the siege of Rangcheng is easy to lift. But there is another matter that is more troublesome than Rangcheng."

Liu Feng naturally understood what he meant and followed his gaze to the southern end of the map.

Jiangling. Guan Yu.

The hall fell silent. Outside the window, the sound of the rushing Han River could be faintly heard, mixed with the shouts of craftsmen driving piles from the direction of the water fortress.

"Lord Guan has been withdrawing his troops for five days."

Ma Liang drew a line north of Jiangling with his finger, "From Xiangyang to Jiangling, it's hundreds of miles along the way. Even though Cao Cao's army didn't pursue us, Wu's army intercepted us, cutting off our supplies. Your troops and their families are all in Jiangling."

He paused, his voice lowering.

"And Jiangling has already fallen into Lü Meng's hands."

Liu Feng did not respond.

He knew perfectly well what this meant. Guan Yu had taken most of Jingzhou's elite troops with him during his northern expedition, leaving Jiangling with a weak force. Lü Meng crossed the river in disguise, and Mi Fang and Fu Shiren surrendered the city, Jiangling fell to the enemy.

When this news reached Guan Yu's army, he was confronting Cao Cao's forces on the outskirts of Xiangyang. Upon hearing that their families had all fallen into the hands of Wu's army, thousands of Jingzhou soldiers scattered overnight.

In addition, food supplies were cut off.

This is why Guan Yu had to retreat.

"When you retreated, you still had nearly 20,000 troops under your command," Ma Liang continued. "But with each passing day, some deserted. I wonder how many troops you have left now?"

He didn't continue.

Liu Feng, however, knew the answer: "When Guan Yu marched to Maicheng, his troops were scattered, leaving only a hundred men."

This is the story of Guan Yu's defeat at Maicheng, a tale Liu Feng had known since childhood. But now, this story is no longer just a story; it is a reality unfolding before our eyes.

Guan Yu was leading his army in a retreat south, and Lü Meng was using psychological warfare to undermine his morale, while also causing the army to run out of food.

If he were to actually reach Maicheng, and his troops were to be wiped out, even if Liu Feng arrived in time, he would only be able to save a commander with no troops left.

What use is Guan Yu, who has no troops under his command, to Liu Feng in the battle for Jingzhou?

"I'm going to pursue Lord Guan," Liu Feng said in a deep voice. "Without Lord Guan's troops and navy, Xiangyang wouldn't be able to withstand Cao Cao and Sun Quan's pincer attack from the north and south."

Ma Liang suddenly looked up: "Deputy General, Xiangyang has just been pacified. If you leave now, I'm afraid..."

"Therefore, I need you to stay, Mr. Ji Chang."

Liu Feng turned to face Ma Liang, his gaze calm and resolute. It was the look he had only after making a decision.

"I have ordered Deng Ai to lead two thousand troops to garrison Fancheng. As for Xiangyang, I will entrust it to Mr. Ji Chang. The powerful families have been appeased, the people's hearts are beginning to settle, and the construction of the naval fortress is being expedited. With Mr. Ji Chang in charge of Xiangyang, I am at ease!"

Liu Feng spoke solemnly.

Ma Liang opened his mouth, but ultimately only asked one question: "How many men will the deputy general be leading?"

"A hundred or so light cavalrymen are sufficient."

"More than a hundred?"

Ma Liang's voice suddenly rose, "Lord Guan's troops number in the tens of thousands, and the Wu army's pursuers are countless. General, you dare to charge south with only a hundred or so cavalry?"

Liu Feng picked up the long sword leaning against the table; the copper clasp on the scabbard gleamed in the sunlight.

"Bringing too much is also a burden. Guan Yu's marching speed is not slow; even in a rout, he can still cover forty or fifty li a day. If I lead a large army south, the baggage and provisions will be a hindrance, and I fear I won't be able to catch up with him by the time he reaches Jiangling."

"It would be better to travel light, with a hundred or so light cavalry, each with two horses, traveling day and night, and perhaps we could intercept them."

Ma Liang remained silent for a long time, and considering the current situation, he had no choice but to do as Liu Feng suggested.

"Deputy General, when shall we depart?"

"We'll leave tonight," Liu Feng said before heading to make preparations.

That night, outside the south gate of Xiangyang, over a hundred light cavalrymen quietly formed ranks. Each man had two horses, one carrying him and the other carrying provisions and quivers. There were no flags or drums in the ranks, only the dull thud of horses' hooves on the rammed earth road.

Ma Liang stopped outside the South Gate.

He didn't say anything more, but simply clasped his hands and bowed to Liu Feng. Liu Feng returned the bow from his horse, then turned his horse around, spurred it on, and galloped into the night.

More than a hundred light cavalry followed closely behind, like a black arrow shooting into the boundless darkness.